Eugene Nyavor
A 41 year old man identified as Dharmesh Arvind Patel has been arrested after allegedly launching his Tesla off California’s Devil’s Side Cliff with members of his family inside.
According to the California Highway Patrol, Dharmesh Arvind Patel survived and was rescued from Devil’s Slide in San Mateo County on Monday, along with his wife and children.
His wife Neha, also 41, also suffered injuries and his children had moderate injuries.
The car was traveling south on State Route 1 when it went over the cliff at Devil’s Slide, south of the Tom Lantos Tunnels, and landed near the water’s edge, the fire department said.
It flipped and landed on its wheels.
California Highway Patrol believe the incident was intentional
Based on the evidence gathered, investigators at the California Highway Patrol (CHP) have developed probable cause to believe that the crime was committed with intent.
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection incident commander Brian Pottenger said witnesses called 911 after the crash around 10:50 a.m.
He said that it was “very, very rare” for people to survive such a steep fall and that the children’s car seats may have saved their lives.
“We were actually very shocked when we found survivable victims in the vehicle. So that actually was a hopeful moment for us,” Pottenger said.
Charges
Authorities plan to book Patel on three counts of attempted murder and two counts of child abuse, said Officer Andrew Barclay, a spokesman for the highway patrol’s Golden Gate Division.
It was not immediately clear Tuesday evening whether Patel had an attorney who could speak on his behalf.
